Ole Miss grants patent rights to ChromaDex

OXFORD — The University of Mississippi has granted ChromaDex Corp. the exclusive worldwide patent rights to a potential new therapeutic use for pterostilbene as an anxiolytic or anti-anxiety agent.

ChromaDex pTeroPure is an ultra-pure formulation of pterostilbene, a compound found in blueberries and demonstrated to have multiple health benefits.

Irvine, Calif.-based ChromaDex previously licensed two patents from UM that focus on the ability of pterostilbene to reduce blood lipoprotein levels and pterostilbene’s effect on oxidative stress and cognition. ChromaDex also holds rights to patents related to manufacturing claims.

“Adding the anxiolytic indication to our existing patent portfolio around pTeroPure allows us to capitalize on new product opportunities that we can pursue independently or with partners looking to differentiate their own products,” said ChromaDex president William Spengler.

Research conducted by the UM School of Pharmacy shows pterostilbene may have anxiolytic activities. The researchers determined pterostilbene activates the ERK signaling pathway in the hippocampus, an area of the brain speculated to play a role in anxiety. The effect of pterostilbene was investigated in a classic animal model of anxiety and found to be comparable in activity to the anti-anxiety drug diazepam used as the control drug in the model.

The first human clinical research study on pTeroPure is being conducted at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to evaluate the compound in patients with lipid (cholesterol) disorders.